Universal washing machine outlet box

ABSTRACT

A substrate is placed on a Y-axis movement table, and a syringe containing paste is rendered capable of applying paste while moving in an X-axis direction on a head mechanism. Since the head mechanism provided with the syringe is rendered movable in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis movement mechanism, a distance of movement of the syringe containing paste in the Y-axis direction is reduced, and a mechanical load on the head mechanism is reduced as well. Accordingly, production of metal dust attributable to abrasions and the like are suppressed, and it is possible to achieve high-quality and efficient paste pattern formation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to improvements in a paste applicationapparatus and to a method for applying paste to a surface of asubstrate.

2. Description of the Related Art

A liquid crystal display panel is manufactured by sticking two glasssubstrates together while sandwiching a liquid crystal member. To stickthe two substrates together, adhesive paste is applied to a surface ofone substrate opposing to a surface of the other substrate.

Paste is applied in such a way that a closed loop is drawn around adisplay surface to be formed on the substrate. For this purpose, asyringe discharging paste is disposed above the substrate, and a patternof paste application is formed by performing relative movement of thesyringe and the substrate at a position where a nozzle head of thesyringe is opposed to the substrate while discharging paste from thenozzle head.

For applying paste to the surface of the substrate by means of therelative movement, the following methods are known among other things;one method is to apply paste with a fixed syringe containing paste whilemoving the substrate, disposed opposite to and below the syringe, in X-Ydirections (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Publication No.5-15818). Another method is to apply paste to the fixed substratethrough moving a syringe, disposed opposite to and above the substrate,in the X-Y directions (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open PublicationNo. 9-323056).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With regard to a display surface to be formed on the substrate whilebeing applied with paste, the following patterns are known among otherthings; one pattern is to form a single display surface on eachsubstrate, and another method is to form a plurality of display surfacesof the same design on each substrate in a matrix. In particular, thelatter pattern is often referred to as a multiple pattern, and thefollowing description will also designate the latter pattern as amultiple pattern at the same time.

With regard to a substrate to be prepared with a multiple pattern, it ispossible to form a plurality of display surfaces at the same time on asingle substrate by pre-setting the corresponding number of syringes soas to accommodate the arrangement pitch in the multiple pattern.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a paste application apparatus whichis configured to set a plurality of syringes fixed so as to correspondto the arrangement pitch of a desired pattern for paste application, andto displace a substrate in X-Y directions.

In FIG. 1, an X-Y movement table 2 is placed on a base 1. A headmechanism 4 mounted with two syringes 41 and 42 is disposed above asubstrate 3 placed on the X-Y movement table 2. The pair of syringes 41and 42 are positioned and disposed so as to correspond to thearrangement pitch in an X-axis direction of a desired pattern forarranging display surfaces on the substrate 3 in order to draw and formtwo desired patterns at the same time. The X-Y movement table 2 and thehead mechanism 4 mounted with the syringes 41 and 42 are respectivelyconnected to a control unit 5. As the control unit 5 controls an entirepaste application operation, paste discharged from the two syringes 41and 42 at the same time is applied so as to draw two desired patterns atthe same time by moving the substrate 3 in the X-Y directions with theX-Y movement table 2.

As illustrated therein, the syringes 41 and 42 of the head mechanism 4are connected to Z-axis movement mechanisms 43 and 44, and are renderedcapable of adjusting movement in a vertical (Z-axis) direction. CCDcameras (not illustrated) are respectively fitted to the syringes 41 and42. Each of the CCD cameras fitted to the respective syringes 41 and 42scans an alignment mark formed on the substrate 3 and supplies thescanned image of the alignment mark to the control unit 5. Accordingly,the control unit 5 can detect the position of the substrate 3 by patternrecognition based on the scanned images thus supplied, and can performpositioning control and the like of the substrate 3 for the pasteapplication operation. Although the substrate 3 is placed on the X-Ymovement table 2 in FIG. 1, it is also possible to perform positioningcontrol of the placed substrate 3 in a θ (turning) direction byreplacing this X-Y movement table 2 with an X-Y-θ movement table.

Moreover, although it is not illustrated in the drawing, a range finderutilizing a laser beam is connected to each of the syringes 41 and 42 tomeasure a height of the surface of the substrate 3, and the distancebetween the surface of the substrate and the nozzle head is therebycontrolled to keep constant an amount of paste to be applied.

In this way, the control unit 5 performs positioning control of thesubstrate 3 in relation to the syringes 41 and 42 by controlling thedrive of the X-Y movement table 2, then controls a respective amount andtiming of discharging paste from each of the syringes 41 and 42, andcontrols the X-Y movement table 2 in accordance with a prescribedprogram to displace the substrate 3 in the X-Y directions. Accordingly,a desired pattern of paste application are drawn and formed on thesurface of the substrate 3.

Here, a power circuit and the like are embedded in the base 1 mountedwith the X-Y movement table 2, and a monitor display 6 a and a keyboard6 b are connected to the control unit 5. Accordingly, an operator cancontrol an operation of applying paste onto the substrate 3 through thekeyboard 6 b.

In the paste application apparatus shown in FIG. 1, the substrate 3placed on the X-Y movement table 2 is moved in an X-Y plane in relationto the positioned and fixed syringes 41 and 42. However, Given that apattern of paste application are formed by relative movement of thesyringes 41 and 42 and the substrate 3, it is also conceivable that thesame pattern of applying paste onto the surface of the substrate 3 isformed by fixing the substrate 3, and by mounting the syringes 41 and 42containing paste therein on an X-Y movement mechanism.

Incidentally, the paste application apparatus is configured to disposethe syringe containing paste opposite to and above the substrate whichis placed on the base, and to form a pattern of paste application eitherby moving the substrate in the X-Y directions with the syringe fixed ata desired position or by moving the syringe containing paste in the X-Ydirections with the substrate fixed at a given position on the base.

As described above, the paste application apparatus is configured todraw the given pattern of paste application on the surface of thesubstrate by moving either the substrate or the syringe containing pastein the X-Y directions.

In the case of the former configuration of merely moving the substrateto be applied with paste in the X-Y directions relative to the fixedsyringe, however, the larger substrates have been produced in responseto the recent demand for enlarged substrates, the larger space has beenrequired for production of such larger substrates. This is because suchlarger substrates need to be moved in a correspondingly larger extent ina horizontal direction to the X-Y directions. Accordingly, improvementsin configuration have been awaited in light of space saving.

Given that a pattern of paste application to be actually employed arenot always a multiple application pattern which needs a plurality ofsyringes to be disposed, the space occupied with a paste applicationapparatus accommodating a multiple application pattern is underusedwhile a pattern other than a multiple application pattern is pursued.This causes a problem in light of effective utilization of a factorysite.

On the contrary, with regard to the latter configuration of fixing asubstrate onto the base and of moving the syringe in the X-Y directions,a syringe heavy with paste contained therein are mechanically movedabove the substrate. However, metal dust is produced by abrasion and thelike in portions of the kind of apparatus that displaces such a heavyload, and the fallen metal dust contaminates the surface of thesubstrate therebelow.

In addition, an X-Y movement mechanism to be moved while holdingsyringes needs to displace the heavy syringes widely and at high speedon the X-Y plane in the both X and Y directions. Accordingly, a durablestructure is required to be constructed and the large power of inertiaassociated with conveyance and movement of the heavy load constitutes animpediment to efficiency of an application process.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a pasteapplication apparatus which is capable of preventing the apparatus as awhole from being enlarged in size in response to a range of movement onan X-Y plane which would otherwise be correspondingly larger, avoidingcontaminating the surface of a substrate with fallen metal dust whichwould otherwise be produced, and improving efficiency in pasteapplication.

To solve the aforementioned problems, a paste application apparatusaccording to the present invention includes: a base; a Y-axis movementtable mounted on the base, the Y-axis movement table being configured toplace a substrate thereon and capable of moving the substrate in aY-axis direction; a Y-axis movement mechanism mounted on the base; ahead mechanism main unit being movable in the Y-axis direction by theY-axis movement mechanism; and a plurality of syringes provided on thehead mechanism main unit, the syringe disposed above the substrate andbeing movable in an X-axis direction, the syringe containing paste,wherein an application of paste contained in the syringe to the surfaceof substrate is made by relative movement of both the syringe and thesubstrate.

In this way, the paste application apparatus according to the presentinvention is configured to place a substrate on the Y-axis movementtable and to be capable of moving syringe containing paste in the Y-axisdirection by the Y-axis movement mechanism. By this, the pasteapplication apparatus can displace both syringe and a substrate inmutually opposite directions along the Y-axis direction. Accordingly, itis possible to substantially reduce the range (stroke) of moving asubstrate in the Y-axis direction while performing paste application andformation, as compared to a case of moving only the substrate in theY-axis direction.

Moreover, by the above-described configuration, it is possible to reducethe range of moving syringe in the Y-axis direction as short aspossible. In this way, it is possible to reduce a mechanical load on themovement mechanism provided with syringe, to suppress production ofmetal dust caused by mechanical abrasions and the like, and to achieve ahigh-speed operation of paste application with high precision, ascompared to a case of fixing the substrate in a given place while movingthe syringe entirely in the Y-axis direction.

As described above, this paste application apparatus according to thepresent invention would be able to avoid preventing the occupancy area,required for the range of operating the apparatus, from becoming largerregardless of the current trend towards enlarged substrates, and,therefore, to achieve space saving. In this way, the paste applicationapparatus can exert an excellent effect upon practice.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a paste applicationapparatus.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a pasteapplication apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged plane view of the paste application apparatusshown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the sequence of a control system ofthe paste application apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An embodiment of a paste application apparatus according to the presentinvention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 to FIG.4. Note that the same constituents as those in the paste applicationapparatus shown in FIG. 1 are designated with the same referencenumerals and symbols, and detailed description will be omitted herein.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a paste applicationapparatus according to the present invention and FIG. 3 is a magnifiedplane view of the paste application apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, a Y-axis movement table 7 is disposed on a base 1, and asubstrate 3 is positioned and placed on the Y-axis movement table 7.

In addition, on both outer sides in an upper portion of the base 1sandwiching the Y-axis movement table 7 therebetween, Y-axis movementmechanisms 81 and 82 are provided side by side so as to extend theY-axis as a longitudinal direction. Each of the Y-axis movementmechanisms 81 and 82 is comprised of a servo motor 8 a and a feed screwmechanism driven by the servo motors 8 a. Ahead mechanism 4 providedwith syringes 41 and 42 is incorporated in the Y-axis movementmechanisms 81 and 82 so as to be movable in the Y-axis direction. Drivesynchronized between the respective servo motors 8 a of the Y-axismovement mechanisms 81 and 82 is controlled by a control unit 5.

As in the case of the configuration in FIG. 1, the syringes 41 and 42are provided to the head mechanism 4 so that the syringes 41 and 42 canform two paste application patterns at the same time while referring toa desired multiple pattern with which the substrate is prepared. Driveof the respective syringes 41 and 42 in this embodiment is separatelycontrolled by the control unit 5, and the syringes 41 and 42 areconfigured to be independently movable in the X-axis direction on a mainunit 4 a constituting a part of the head mechanism 4 which is formedinto a portal.

Specifically, as shown in the plan view of FIG. 3, the syringes 41 and42 are connected respectively to Z-axis movement mechanisms 43 and 44.Moreover, the Z-axis movement mechanisms 43 and 44 are connectedrespectively to primary moving parts 45 a and 45 b of an X-axis movementmechanism 45 including linear motors.

A secondary fixing part 45 c of the X-axis movement mechanism 45 isprovided on the main unit 4 a of the head mechanism so that thedirection of movement is parallel to the X-axis direction. Accordingly,the syringes 41 and 42 can move respectively in X1 and X2 directions asindicated by arrows in the drawing, or can move respectively indirections opposite to the X1 and X2 directions as indicated by therespective arrows, i.e. in mutually opposite directions on the X axis.

Here, a power circuit and the like are embedded in the base 1 mountedwith the Y-axis movement table 7, and a monitor display 6 a and akeyboard 6 b are connected to the control unit 5. Accordingly, anoperator can perform an operation of applying paste to the substrate 3by manipulating the keyboard 6 b.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram for schematically describing a control systemfor the Y-axis movement table 7, the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and82, and the head mechanism 4.

Specifically, the control unit 5 includes: a RAM and/or a ROM; a storageunit 51 storing application data and application control programs; a CPU52 configured to read the data and the control program stored in thisstorage unit 51, to perform calculation based on an applicationcondition inputted by the keyboard 6 b or a touch panel on the monitordisplay 6 a, and thereby to calculate control data for the Y-axismovement table 7, the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82, and the headmechanism 4; and controllers 541 to 545 configured to receive thecontrol data calculated by this CPU 52, to generate individual controlsignals, and to be connected respectively to corresponding drivers 531to 535 to supply the generated control signals.

The control system shown in FIG. 4 performs so-called dispenser control,i.e., control of the discharging of paste by adjusting valves of thesyringes 41 and 42, and so-called gap control, i.e., control of theheight of the nozzle head of each of the syringes 41 and 42 above thesubstrate by controlling the Z-axis movement mechanisms 43 and 44 basedon measurement data from laser range finders, as in the case of theapparatus of FIG. 1.

The apparatus according to this embodiment is different from theapparatus of FIG. 1 in that the drivers receiving feedback signals fromrespective linear encoders control the drive of the Y-axis movementtable 7, the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82, and the primarymoving parts 45 a and 45 b of the head mechanism 4, and thereby formapplication tracks of the paste.

Specifically, paste application in the Y-axis direction is executed bythe Y-axis movement table 7 and the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and82. By this relative movement of the Y-axis movement table 7 and theY-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82, it is possible to reduce motionstroke in the Y-axis direction of the entire apparatus.

The motion in this event will be described below, citing an example ofapplying paste with the same pattern on each quarter of the surface ofthe substrate 3 shown in FIG. 3, and designating the quarters clockwisestarting from a left top as A, B, C, and D.

Firstly, the syringes 41 and 42 are moved relative to the substrate 3 bycontrolling the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 as well as theX-axis movement mechanism 45, and then the syringe 41 is positionedimmediately above an application starting position of the applicationpattern for the region A and the syringe 42 is positioned immediatelyabove an application starting position of the application pattern forthe region B, respectively.

Here, the syringes 41 and 42 are brought down and are positioned so thatdistances between the nozzles of the syringes 41 and 42 and thesubstrate 3 are adjusted to prescribed application intervals by use ofoutput signals from the laser range finders.

Next, the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 are moved bycontrolling the Y-axis movement table 7 and the X-axis movementmechanism 45 while discharging paste from the nozzles of the syringes 41and 42, and paste is thereby applied to the regions A and B in desiredapplication patterns. The discharge of paste is stopped at endingpositions of the application patterns, and, at the same time, themovement of the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 by the Y-axismovement table 7 and the X-axis movement mechanism 45 is stopped,whereby the paste application to the regions A and B is finished. Thesyringes 41 and 42 after finishing the application are lifted up to astandby height.

Thereafter, the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 are respectivelymoved by controlling the Y-axis movement table 7, the Y-axis movementmechanisms 81 and 82, and the X-axis movement mechanism 45, and then thesyringe 41 is positioned immediately above an application startingposition of the application pattern for the region D and the syringe 42is positioned immediately above an application starting position of theapplication pattern for the region C, respectively. Here, when thesyringes 41 and 42 and the substrate 3 are moved relatively in theY-axis direction so as to displace the syringe 41 from the region A tothe region D and to displace the syringe 42 from the region B to theregion C, the movement of the substrate 3 by the Y-axis movement table 7and the movement of the syringes 41 and 42 by the Y-axis movementmechanisms 81 and 82 are executed in mutually opposite directions (inFIG. 3, the substrate 3 is moved upward and the syringes 41 and 42 aremoved downward) at the same time. In this way, it is possible torelatively displace the syringes 41 and 42 and the substrate 3 at aspeed produced through combination of the speed of the Y-axis movementtable 7 and the speed of the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82.Accordingly, it is possible to displace the syringes 41 and 42respectively to the starting positions of subsequent paste applicationin a shorter period of time, as compared to the case of moving eitherthe syringes 41 and 42 or the substrate 3, and thereby to improveefficiency of the paste application operation.

Next, the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 are relatively moved bycontrolling the Y-axis movement table 7 and the X-axis movementmechanism 45 while discharging paste from the nozzles of the syringes 41and 42, and the paste is thereby applied to the regions D and C indesired paste application patterns. The discharge of paste is stopped atending positions of the paste application patterns, and the relativemovement of the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 by the Y-axismovement table 7 and the X-axis movement mechanism 45 is stopped,whereby the application to the regions D and C is completed.

Meanwhile, paste application in the X-axis direction is executed by theprimary moving parts of the head mechanism 45. Here, when primary movingparts 45 a and 45 b are provided as shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, theforce of inertia given by the application motion in the X-axis directionis offset by controlling the primary moving parts 45 a and 45 b so as tobe moved in mutually opposite directions. In this way, it is possible toobtain the stable application motion.

Of input data from the keyboard 6 b and the monitor display 6 a,particularly, so-called NC data such as data representing a position ofdrawing to be started on coordinate and data for instruction of drawingsequence, data representing condition for determining drawing range andR (radius) at a corner with regard to a given application pattern,control data such as data for controlling the dispenser control or thegap control, data of drawing speed, and the like are inputted andestablished as in the case of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

However, the apparatus of this embodiment is different from theapparatus of FIG. 1 in that it is possible to displace the primarymoving parts 45 a and 45 b in mutually opposite directions on the X axisin the course of application track control by instructing directions ofmovement (traveling) respectively for the primary moving parts 45 a and45 b.

As described above, in the paste application apparatus according to thisembodiment, the syringes 41 and 42 can move on the X axis independentlyof each other by being controlled by the control unit 5. By this, it ispossible to draw two subsequent paste patterns at the same time bymoving the syringes 41 and 42 in mutually opposite directions on the Xaxis after a plurality of preceding paste patterns have been formed.Since the syringes 41 and 42 draw paste patterns while moving on the Xaxis in mutually opposite directions, the force of inertia in the X-axisdirection applied to the main unit 4 a of the head mechanism 4associated with the movement of the syringes 41 and 42 is offset. As aresult, it is possible to reduce mechanical loads on the main unit 4 aof the head mechanism 4 and connections between the head mechanism 4 andthe respective Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 associated with themovement. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the headmechanism 4 and to suppress production of metal dust attributable tomechanical friction and the like.

Moreover, in the paste application apparatus according to thisembodiment, whereas the substrate 3 is placed on the Y-axis movementtable 7 and is moved in the Y-axis direction, the syringes 41 and 42containing paste can be also moved similarly in the Y-axis direction bythe movement of the head mechanism 4 by the Y-axis movement mechanisms81 and 82. Accordingly, the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 canbe moved in mutually opposite directions on the Y axis.

Therefore, it is possible to reduce, at least by half, a movement range(stroke) of the substrate 3 in the Y-axis direction when moving thesyringes 41 and 42 from the respective ending positions of theapplication patterns to the respective starting positions of thesubsequent application patterns, as compared to the case of moving onlythe substrate in the Y-axis direction.

Although the embodiment shows an example of incorporating the singlehead mechanism 4 in the pair of Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 onthe right and left, it is also possible to incorporate a plurality ofhead mechanisms 4 so as to be provided side by side on the Y-axismovement mechanisms 81 and 82, and thereby to perform, more efficiently,paste application according to a multiple pattern in the Y-axisdirection.

At the same time, although this embodiment describes an example ofproviding the syringes 41 and 42 on the single head mechanism 4, it isalso possible to provide three or more syringes, and accordingly toperform efficient application of paste to the substrate 3 which isprepared with a multiple patterns in the X-axis direction.

Furthermore, this embodiment shows an example of adopting the feed screwmechanisms as the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 and of adoptingthe linear motors for the movement of the syringes 41 and 42. However,it is possible to obtain a similar effect by employing, when deemednecessary, arbitrary movement mechanisms, as in the case of adoptinglinear motors for the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 and adoptingthe feed screw mechanisms for movement of the syringes 41 and 42.

Note that illustrations of range finders to be fitted to the syringes 41and 42 are omitted in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3. Reference numerals 41 a and 42a as well as corresponding symbols denote CCD cameras which arerespectively fitted to correspond to the syringes 41 and 42. The CCDcameras 41 a and 42 a supply scanned images of alignment marks on thesubstrate 3 to the control unit 5, and a positioning operation for pasteapplication is performed by pattern recognition based on the scannedimages of the alignment marks formed on the substrate 3 as in the caseof the apparatus of FIG. 1.

Meanwhile, in this embodiment, some positioning adjustment in a θ(turning) direction can also be added to the above-mentioned positioningadjustment by replacing the Y-axis movement table 7 with a Y-θ movementtable.

As described above, the paste application apparatus according to thisembodiment controls drive of the Y-axis movement table 7, the Y-axismovement mechanisms 81 and 82 as well as the head mechanism 4 throughthe control unit 5, and thereby controls correction of the position ofthe substrate 3 relative to the syringes 41 and 42 based on the imagesscanned by the CCD cameras 41 a and 42 a. Moreover, after the positioncorrection, the amounts and timing of discharging the paste from each ofthe syringes 41 and 42, the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82, andthe primary moving parts 45 a and 45 b of the X-axis movement mechanism45 are controlled in accordance with the prescribed programs. In thisway, it is possible to draw and form a given paste pattern by applyingthe paste discharged from the nozzle heads of the syringes 41 and 42onto the surface of the substrate 3.

As described above, according to this embodiment, whereas the syringes41 and 42 are moved in the X-Y direction, the substrate 3 disposedopposite is placed on the Y-axis movement table 7 and is moved in theY-axis direction. Accordingly, it is possible to substantially reducethe movement range (stroke) of the substrate 3 in the Y-axis directionwhen additionally moving the syringes 41 and 42 from the endingpositions of the application patterns to the starting positions of thesubsequent application patterns as compared to the case of moving onlythe substrate in the Y-axis direction. In this way, it is possible toavoid an increase in size of the entire apparatus.

Moreover, as compared to the case of moving the syringes 41 and 42 inthe X-Y directions while fixing the substrate 3, it is possible toreduce distance of movement of each of the syringes 41 and 42 in theY-axis direction. In this way, it is possible to reduce the mechanicalloads on the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 attributable tomovement of the head mechanism 4 in the Y-axis direction. Accordingly,production of metal dust attributable to abrasions and the like issuppressed as well, and it is possible to achieve formation ofhigh-quality paste patterns while avoiding contamination of thesubstrate with metal dust.

Although this embodiment cites an example of relatively moving thesyringes 41 and 42 and the substrate 3 to the relative movement by useof the Y-axis movement table 7 and the X-axis movement mechanism 45while drawing of application patterns, it is also possible to use theY-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 at the same time in addition toemploying the Y-axis movement table 7 and the X-axis movement mechanism45. In this case, if the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 aremoved in mutually opposite directions at the same time by use of theY-axis movement table 7 and the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 inthe case of achieving the movement in the Y-axis direction, it ispossible to reduce the distance of movement by the respective movementdevices (the Y-axis movement table 7 and the Y-axis movement mechanisms81 and 82) as compared to the case of performing the relative movementof the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 in the Y direction by asingle movement means. Moreover, if the speed of relative movement ofthe substrate 3 and the relative speed of movement of each of thesyringes 41 and 42 are equal to each other, it is possible to reduce thespeed of movement of the substrate 3 and the speed of movement of thehead mechanism 4 including the syringes 41 and 42 by use of therespective movement devices, as compared to the case of performing therelative movement of the substrate 3 and the syringes 41 and 42 in the Ydirection by a single movement means. As a result, it is possible toreduce the mechanical loads on the respective movement devices, tosuppress generation of vibrations and the like attributable to themechanical loads, and thereby to achieve the application operation withhigh precision and at high speed.

Moreover, this embodiment cites an example of applying paste patterns inclosed loop. However, the shape of paste application patterns is notlimited to the closed loop, and the present invention is also adoptableto application of application patterns which include open portions insome parts.

Furthermore, this embodiment cites an example of providing the Y-axismovement mechanisms 81 and 82 side by side on the both outer sidessandwiching the Y-axis movement table 7. However, the positions fordisposing the Y-axis movement mechanisms 81 and 82 are not limited tothe foregoing. For example, the Y-axis movement mechanism may bedisposed on a support member which is horizontally disposed on theY-axis movement table 7, and the head mechanism 4 may be incorporated inthis Y-axis movement mechanism in a hanging manner so as to be freelymovable in the Y-axis direction.

1. A paste application apparatus comprising: a Y-axis movement tableconfigured to place a substrate thereon and to be capable of moving thesubstrate in a Y-axis direction; a Y-axis movement mechanism extendingin the Y-axis direction; a head mechanism main unit extending in anX-axis direction, the head mechanism main unit being movable in theY-axis direction by the Y-axis movement mechanism; and a syringeprovided on the head mechanism main unit, the syringe being disposedabove the substrate and rendered movable in the X-axis direction, thesyringe containing paste, wherein an application of paste contained inthe syringe to a surface of the substrate is made by relative movementof the syringe and the substrate.
 2. The paste application apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein a pair of the Y-axis movement mechanismsare provided on both sides of the Y-axis movement table, and the headmechanism main unit is placed on the pair of the Y-axis movementmechanisms, the head mechanism main unit being formed so as to straddlethe Y-axis movement table.
 3. The paste application apparatus accordingto claim 1, wherein a plurality of the syringes are provided on the headmechanism main unit.
 4. The paste application apparatus according toclaim 3, wherein the plurality of the syringes are configured so as tobe capable of applying paste to the substrate while moving independentlyof each other.
 5. The paste application apparatus according to claim 4,wherein the plurality of the syringes are configured so as to be capableof applying paste to the substrate at the same time while moving inmutually opposite directions on an X axis.
 6. The paste applicationapparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the headmechanism main units are placed on the Y-axis movement mechanism, andeach of the head mechanism main units is provided with the syringerespectively.
 7. A paste application method comprising: preparing apaste application apparatus, the paste application apparatus including aY-axis movement table configured to place a substrate thereon and to becapable of moving the substrate in a Y-axis direction, a Y-axis movementmechanism extending in the Y-axis direction, a head mechanism main unitextending in an X-axis direction, the head mechanism main unit beingmovable in the Y-axis direction by the Y-axis movement mechanism, and asyringe provided on the head mechanism main unit, the syringe beingdisposed above the substrate and rendered movable in the X-axisdirection, the syringe containing paste, the paste application apparatusbeing configured to apply paste contained in the syringe to a surface ofthe substrate by relative movement of the syringe and the substrate;performing the relative movement of the substrate and the syringe in theY-axis direction while forming an application pattern by use of theY-axis movement table; and performing the relative movement of thesubstrate and the syringe in the Y-axis direction while moving thesyringe from an ending position of an application pattern to an startingposition of a subsequent application pattern by moving the substrate andthe syringe in mutually opposite directions by use of the Y-axismovement table and the Y-axis movement mechanism.
 8. A paste applicationmethod comprising: preparing a paste application apparatus, the pasteapplication apparatus including a Y-axis movement table configured toplace a substrate thereon and to be capable of moving the substrate in aY-axis direction, a Y-axis movement mechanism extending in the Y-axisdirection, a head mechanism main unit extending in an X-axis direction,the head mechanism main unit being movable in the Y-axis direction bythe Y-axis movement mechanism, and a syringe provided on the headmechanism main unit, the syringe being disposed above the substrate andrendered movable in the X-axis direction, the syringe containing paste,the paste application apparatus being configured to apply the pastecontained in the syringe to a surface of the substrate by relativemovement of the syringe and the substrate; and performing the relativemovement of the substrate and the syringe in the Y-axis direction bymoving the substrate and the syringe in mutually opposite directions byuse of the Y-axis movement table and the Y-axis movement mechanism.